Don’t Pick Up The Trash Once Thrown Away - Chapter 108

From the top to the chest.

 

As his collar opened, his bare skin that was hidden inside was revealed.

 

“Why, why are you suddenly unbuttoning…?!”

 

I panicked and hurriedly closed my eyes. I even covered my eyes with both hands.

 

Then Baron Delrond said with a small smile.

 

“I’m not trying to do anything weird. I’m doing this because I have something to show you, so don’t be too surprised.”

 

What is he going to show me by taking off his clothes?

 

Curious, I spread my fingers apart and peeked through them.

 

A red pattern on his shoulder was exposed as his shirt went down.

 

Tattoo? No. That’s… 

 

“It’s the stigma… of slavery.”

 

It was also the stigma of sex slavery that was treated the lowest among slaves.

 

Why is such a stigma on the Baron’s body?

 

Looking at him in surprise, Baron Delrond smiled awkwardly and pulled up his clothes.

 

“As you can see, I was a sex slave, not an ordinary commoner.”

 

After buttoning his last button, he brushed his slightly messy hair and continued.

 

“I was also the world’s heinous sex slave who killed his master.”

 

He… killed a man?

 

“Was there any misunderstanding?”

 

Bewildered, I just said what I was thinking.

 

I was shocked when I said it, but the Baron also looked at me in bewilderment.

 

“Ah, I’m sorry. Baron.”

 

I hurriedly made an excuse, fearing that the Baron might make a strange misunderstanding.

 

“I just can’t believe the Baron did such a thing… I thought there was some misunderstanding.”

 

“Is that all you have to say to me?”

 

“Yes?”

 

Do I have to say something else?

 

“I… Please cheer up.”

 

Judging by the look on his face, it didn’t seem to be it.

 

Then, what was I supposed to say?

 

“Pftt… Ha.”

 

As I was thinking about it, Baron Delrond suddenly burst into laughter.

 

Why is he laughing?

 

“The Baron is really a funny person.”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes. You’re really funny.”

 

It was the first time I heard it in my life. Because Philen always scolded me for not being funny.

 

“As the Baron said, there was a misunderstanding. It wasn’t me who killed the man who was my former master.”

 

Baron Delrond smiled bitterly and wiped his face with his hand.

 

“Another noble who disliked the man killed him and put the blame on me.”

 

“Then…! Then you should have said that you’re not!”

 

“Of course, I said that.”

 

Baron Delrond shrugged.

 

“But no one believed me, who was a sex slave when I said that. The fake evidence that I was the culprit was already perfectly prepared.”

 

It was a similar situation to mine right now. I felt a deep sense of kinship. I could feel how hard and difficult he must have been at the time.

 

If a slave killed his master, it was the death penalty. However, the fact that Baron Delrond was still alive meant that he had used a special method.

 

I was wondering what the method was. Just in case I could use it to solve this situation too.

 

“How did you get out of that situation?”

 

“His Majesty saved me.”

 

“His Majesty?”

 

“Yes. When everyone didn’t believe me and shouted that I was the culprit, he was the only one who believed me and said it should be investigated again.”

 

His Majesty did such a thing?

 

“His Majesty personally stepped forward to find the real culprit. And then he took me when I had nowhere to go.”

 

Baron Delrond continued, looking down at his clenched hand.

 

“Is that all? He gave me, who was a sex slave, the position of an aide and he even granted me the baron title.”

 

Ah, I remembered. Apparently, about four years ago, there was a time when the Empire was greatly shaken by the fact that a low-ranking man was appointed to be an aide to the prince.

 

At that time, because of the plague that spread in the Williot estate, I was distracted, so I only heard it with one ear.

 

I couldn’t believe that it was Baron Delrond. It was amazing.

 

I just stared at him, not knowing what to say, then Baron Delrond smiled.

 

“I have received a kindness from His Majesty that will never be repaid for the rest of my life.”

 

It was the happiest face of Baron Delrond I had ever seen.

 

“I will repay this kindness until the day my life ends.”

 

*****

 

After parting ways with Baron Delrond, I returned to my room and sat down on the sofa.

 

My heart was pounding. It’s not a bad feeling or anything like that. Rather, it felt good. It wasn’t enough to say I was happy, but it was definitely better than when I left my room.

 

As expected, him being interested in me was just my wild guess. I almost put Kalian in trouble with my strange guess.

 

And there was hope that if things went well, I might be able to get help from Kalian.

 

It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t help me. I’m satisfied just with Kalian believing in my innocence.

 

To do that…

 

I turned my eyes to the desk. On the desk were paper, a quill, and ink that I had left before I left.

 

I got up from my seat and sat down at the desk. Then I threw away the slightly crumpled paper and pulled out a new, stiff piece of paper from the drawer.

 

“Huu.”

 

A sigh came out of tension. I took a deep breath, calmed my slightly trembling heart, and inked its tip.

 

*****

 

The next morning.

 

I dressed up neatly and headed to the emperor’s office to meet Kalian.

 

As it was an important day, I wanted to wear a uniform, but I couldn’t because the uniform was at home.

 

When I arrived at the office, I made a general check to see if there were any messy places, and then I told the attendant who was waiting.

 

“Please tell His Majesty.”

 

“Your Majesty, Baron Aster is here.”

 

After a brief silence, permission to come in was granted.

 

I took a deep breath and went inside.

 

Baron Delrond was also in the office.

 

I bowed lightly to Kalian and then greeted Baron Delrond with a blink.

 

Baron Delrond also greeted me with a blink.

 

“What’s the matter, Leila?”

 

“I have something to tell Your Majesty.”

 

Was it because I was too nervous? My voice trembled a little.

 

Kalian, who couldn’t have noticed it, looked at me with a little puzzled look. So did Baron Delrond.

 

Kalian stared at me, then turned to Baron Delrond.

 

“Ver, leave for a while.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Baron Delrond left and Kalian stood up.

 

“Sit down.”

 

I sat down on the sofa across from him after he sat down first.

 

“Okay, what do you want to tell me?”

 

“There is something I want to check before I tell you.”

 

“Something you want to check?”

 

“Yes.”

 

It was real from now on. I asked Kalian, holding my hands tightly.

 

“Your Majesty… how much do you know about what happened between me and Duke Williot?”

 

My question brought a fine wrinkle to Kalian’s forehead.

 

He sighed deeply as he tapped the handle with his index finger.

 

“I didn’t mean to investigate your background. Duke Williot was acting up even before you returned, so I was wondering what on earth was wrong with him and found it out by chance.”

 

Philen was acting up even before I returned? I first found out about it.

 

“I apologize. Because of me, you’re being bothered for no reason.”

 

“Why did you apologize when you’re not the one who told Duke Williot to go rampant? It’s Duke Williot who should apologize.”

 

That’s… right.

 

“Anyway, I found out after investigating Duke Williot. The fact that the Duke’s chief maid had killed the Duke’s child. And…”

 

Kalian looked into my eyes for a second then continued.

 

“The fact that it was you, Leila, who ordered the chief maid.”

 

It was the answer I expected, but when I heard it in person, it didn’t feel very good.

 

I lowered my head and looked at my hands without saying a word, then Kalian added as if he was making an excuse.

 

“Of course, I don’t think you did that. Someone must have set you up.”

 

I didn’t know if he meant it sincerely or if he was just saying it to comfort me.

 

What was certain was that his words were a great comfort.

 

“Thank you for trusting me.”

 

“Of course, I trust my aide.”

 

Kalian replied as if he was saying something so obvious.

 

He’s really a nice guy.

 

Realizing that once again, I smiled faintly and held out a white envelope in front of him.

 

“This?”

 

“This is a resignation letter.”

 

Kalian’s smooth face cracked.

 

He immediately looked at me in disbelief.

 

“You don’t seem to believe me, huh?”

 

“No. I believe you.”

 

“Then why are you giving out your resignation letter?”

 

“Because you believe me. I don’t want to be a nuisance to Your Majesty who believes me.”

 

“You can’t be a nuisance!”

 

He raised his voice. Then he groaned and placed his hand on his forehead.

 

“I’m sorry I just raised my voice. For a moment, I was so angry.”

 

“I understand.”

 

“You say you understand, but you’re good at giving things like this.”

 

Kalian sarcastically waved the envelope on the table.

 

“I can’t take it, so take it back.”

 

As Kalian threw it, I put the envelope down in front of me. Then I handed the envelope back to Kalian.

 

Kalian’s eyebrow went up sharply.

 

“You, what are you doing now?”

 

“I have a favor to ask.”

 

“…favor?”

 

His ferocious face instantly calmed down, then wrinkled again.

 

“If you ask me to accept your resignation letter, I won’t do it.”

 

“It is the opposite. Please do not accept my resignation letter right away.”

 

“…what do you mean?”

 

“I will be going to the Williot estate to uncover the truth of the matter.”

 

Hearing Baron Delrond’s story, I thought about it again.

 

Asking the guards for help didn’t stand a good chance for me. Because they would trust Philen, who was a duke, more than me, who was just a baron.

 

I was also concerned about the fake evidence that Philen had.

 

“I’m going to go look into it myself.”